Portable bridge



Dec. 27, 1938. E. B. GRAVELLE PORTABLE BRIDGE Filed March 26, 1935 1 g 1Q n* VJ "if" l 4 Fi g2 1 NVENTOR' EMMANUEL B- GRAVEUJE ATTORNESLPatented Dec. 27, 1938 TNT OFFIQE PORTABLE BRIDGE Emmanuel BernardGravelle, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 4 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to portable bridges, and more particularly toportable wheel bridges for motor vehicles.

An object of the invention is to provide a de- 5 vice for enabling theready extrication of motor vehicles from holes, ruts and the like inice, snow, clay, sand or other unfavourable driving surface. Anotherobject of the invention is to enable motor vehicles to negotiate holes,ditches and the like,

l such as may be encountered by trucks engaged,

for instance, in construction work. Another object is to provide adevice of the character described which may be readily portable withmotor vehicles or which may be mounted thereon for l convenient removaltherefrom.

The invention comprises broadly a bridge formed from a plurality oflongitudinal members and a plurality of transverse members connectingthe longitudinal members, the transverse members including means'providing gripping contact with the surface to be traversed.

With reference to the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a plan of one embodiment of a bridge according to theinvention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the bridge shown in Figure l,

Figure 3 is a plan of another embodiment of the bridge,

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the bridge shown in Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a side elevation of another form of bridge.

In the drawing, I represents a pair of longitudinal side members, whichmay be formed from angle iron positioned so that one angle portionextends upwardly, and suitably welded or riveted thereto are crossmembers 2, provided with downwardly extending projections 3. The members2 may also be formed from angle iron as shown,

one angle portion thereof conveniently forming the projections 3.Obviously, however, the members 2 may be formed from metal of anyconvenient or suitable cross-section such as, for instance. channel ironor T-iron. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, any suitablenumber of side strips 4 may be riveted or welded to the members I forthe purpose of preventing sideslipping of the device. 'I'he members lmay be provided with a downward slant at one or both ends, as shown at5, in order to conveniently enable the bridge to be placed under thewheel of a motor vehicle.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the side members I areformed from angle iron, one angle portion of which extends downwardly.

The other or top angle portion may be provided with a downward slantadjacent either end, shallow channel plates S forming the cross membersat the ends. The channel plates 6 provide a traction means for the wheelof the motor vehicle. More- 5 over, traction means, such as is indicatedat 'l in` Figure 3, may be provided in any embodiment of the invention.The traction means may comprise a strip of rubber vulcanized to themembers 2, or a coating of asphalt and sand thereon, or sim- 10 ply aroughened portion of the surface of the members 2. The traction meansmay also consist of shallow channel plates welded to the members 2. v

The longitudinal side members l may be formed 16 in two or more partssuitably linked or hinged together, as indicated at 8 in Figure 5. Thispermits an adjustment of the bridge to meet various conditions when inuse and also enables a collapsing of the bridge for storage or mountingpur- 20 poses in the vehicle.

The upwardly extending angle portions of the members l, in the formshown in Figure 1, and the flat angle portions, in the form shown inFigure 3, serve to prevent the wheel of the vehicle 25 from sliding offthe bridge.

The bridge may be of any suitable dimensions and may be formed of anysuitable material.

One or two bridges may be carried by a motor vehicle and in use, thebridge is simply placed 30 under or adjacent the drive wheel, which,when the vehicle is started, will readily climb thereupon. The provisionof hinges in the members l permits the use of a relatively longer bridgeand facilitates the positioning of the same under 35 the drive wheelwithout interference with the running board or other parts of thevehicle.

The bridge takes up a very small amount of space and may be readilystored in a motor car. Moreover, the bridge may be formed to serve as a40 bumper and one bridge may be removably mounted on the front and rearof a motor vehicle instead of the usual bumpers now in use. In thiscase, the bridge would be formed of stainless steel or nickel-platedsteel or the like.

I claim:

l. A wheel bridge comprising a plurality of spaced bars having dependingiianges thereon,

a pair of longitudinal members secured to the upper surfaces of saidbars adjacent the ends 50 thereof, said longitudinal members havingupwardly extending flanges thereon defining the wheel-engaging limits ofthe bridge, and a plurality of members having depending longitudinalflanges connected to the under surface of said longitudinal members andlocated between adjacent pairs of said bars.

2. A wheel bridge comprising a plurality ofV spaced angle bars havingone angle portion disposed horizontally and the other angleV portionextending downwardly, a pair of longitudinal angie bars secured to theupper surface ofthe horizontal angle portions of said bars adjacent theends thereof and having upwardly extending angle portions, and aplurality of short angle bars having downwardly extending angle portionsand secured to the under surface of said longitudinal angle bars betweenadjacent pairs of said spaced angle bars. Y

3. A. wheel bridge for motor cars and the like comprising a plurality ofspaced bars, connecting means for said bars comprising longitudinalstrips secured in abutting relationship to and at theV end of said bars,means providing at least one downwardly curved end onY said bridgecomprising downwardly curved portions at adjacent ends of said strips,and means on the bridge for gripping a surface to be traversed by thecar comprising a plurality of transverse flanges projecting downwardlyfrom the bridge and carried by said bars. 4. A wheel bridge for a motorcar or the like comprising a plurality of horizontal spaced bars,connecting means for said bars comprising longitudinal strips secured inabutting relationship to ends of the bars, and means on the bridge forgripping a surface to be traversed by a car com- Y prising a pluralityof transverse flanges projecting'downwardly and carried by said bars anda plurality of longitudinal anges projecting down-V wardly and carriedby Vsaid strips.

EMMANUEL BERNARD GRAVELLE.

